With less than 24 hours left before the campaigning comes to an end for the first phase of polling on 15 Assembly seats in the state but not a single political party has come up with its election manifesto. Starting from Congress and BJP, even regional political parties National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party have issued their party manifesto listing their agenda before the electorate. Ironically, leaders of all the political parties have been targeting each other over issues being raised by them in their election speeches but they have been let down by their own parties in the absence of party manifesto. BJP leaders kicked up a storm by raising the contentious issue of Article 370, renaming of the …

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to kick start BJP’s MISSION 44 Plus from historic Chowgan in Kishtwar. The parade ground has seen many historic gatherings but for the first time the vast green swathes of Chowgan would be painted in saffron hues to register BJPs’ strong presence in the area. The BJP has selectively chosen the Kishtwar Assembly segment for the high profile visit of Prime Minister to send a strong message to the ruling parties in the state. The party machinery has geared up all its resources to make it a big show to motivate voters to come out in large numbers and vote for their choicest candidates. At present Sajjad Ahmad Kitchloo of National Conference is …

Appealing people to vote for BJP, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh today said the party-led Government in Jammu and Kashmir will be able to coordinate with the Centre and herald a new era of progress in the region. “A vote for BJP led Government in the State will be able to coordinate with the BJP led Government at the Centre and herald a new era of progress and prosperity for this region”, Singh said while campaigning in the higher reaches of Kuland, Tron, Dhara, Nagbatna and Bonjwah in Doda and Inderwal Assembly constituencies here. The Union Minister said that BJP is the only political party which seriously cares for the hill states and whenever it is in power, it has …

Amid reports that the BJP may soften its stand on scrapping Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, the party today said it has not left the core issue “which is related to its heart” but BJP is going to Assembly polls on local issues of development and corruption. “The issue (Article 370) is related to our heart. We have not left or sidelined any issue. Article 370 is an issue which is important for the whole nation and not only for J&K, but our focus is to provide a Government which is corruption free, nepotism free and development oriented,” BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain told reporters. Mr Hussain said the State will witness “surprising results” in the Assembly polls. “There is …

Calling the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution a national issue, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today said that the matter is debatable and should not be raked up during Assembly elections for vote bank politics. “It (Article 370) is (a) national issue. It is debatable. BJP’s stand on it is clear. There is no need to rake up this issue during Assembly polls…,” Singh told a public meeting in remote Paddar belt of Kishtwar district. Singh, who is on a campaign trail in support of his party candidates Sunil Sharma in Kishtwar Assembly seat and Daleep Kumar in Bhaderwah, asked political parties not to rake it up during Assembly elections for vote bank politics. The Union Home Minister …

When star campaigner of the Congress party Ghulam Nabi Azad stand in front of local residents to address election rallies in erstwhile Doda district he is repeatedly parroting a statement claiming the Congress-led Coalition Government of 2006-08 successfully broke the myth that development is a utopian dream. Azad also adds it was practically demonstrated by the Congress party how to deliver the fruits of development equitably and judiciously to all the regions of the State. Patting his own back Azad proudly present report card of his govt and appeal to voters to elect congress candidates if they wish to see all around development of the neglected region of the state. While doing so Azad is refusing to acknowledge the good …

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is yet to start election campaign in the state of Jammu and Kashmir but he is already a household name particularly in Kashmir valley. His larger than life image with a crisp message “Jammu Kashmir Ke Badlein halaat aao chalein Modi ke saath’ is reaching thousand of households through vernacular press every day. In the recent days BJP has started aggressive campaigning through print media advertisement. Sound bytes of Modi are also being aired on TV and in radio advertisement to woo the electorate. According to a professional dealing with space marketing, Brand Modi is ruling the market in Jammu and Kashmir. “His pictures are a must for all categories of …

Reacting to apprehensions that BJP may abrogate Article 370, the party today said it would only do what the people of state want with regard to the provision of the Constitution that grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir. “On this issue (of Article 370), everyone, from our Prime Minister to our spokespersons, has clarified… I want to assure you that BJP will do only what the people (of the state) desire,” the party’s in-charge of Jammu and Kashmir Avinash Rai Khanna told reporters here. Khanna was responding to the worry expressed by National Conference President Farooq Abdullah that BJP has a “sinister” plan to abrogate the state’s special status which will lead to “massive unrest”. On Abdullah’s worries, the …

Alleging that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah never made any serious effort for revocation of controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti said he (Omar) was now trying to cover-his countless failures. Having unceremoniously dumped his rhetorical AFSPA revocation demand, Mr Abdullah was now trying to blame everybody except himself for his countless failures and follies. “Unfortunately, Mr Abdullah’s wavering stance on crucial issues during the past six years has reduced the CM’s post to a mockery,” Ms Mufti said while addressing an election rally in this south Kashmir constituency. Accusing Mr Abdullah of never having made a serious effort for the revocation of AFSPA, she said let the Chief Minister come up …

By giving mandate to former Mayor Kavinder Gupta for the Gandhi Nagar Assembly seat BJP has thrown an open challenge to the Congress party candidate Raman Bhalla who if voted to power would be completing hat trick. In 2008 Bhalla had won the seat by a narrow margin of 2263 votes and in 2002 his victory margin was over 10,000. This time the Gandhi Nagar Assembly seat is expected to throw a surprise in terms of percentage turnout of voters. According the victory or defeat margin of the candidates would be altered. Preliminary reports suggest Congress candidate Raman Bhalla may have to face the anti incumbency and lack of voter support on mass scale while former Mayor Kavinder Gupta would …